Tuesday, December 10, features three games in Estonia, Latvia and Denmark. Newcastle Eagles and Inter Bratislava will grab playoff tickets if they win at Valmiera Glass ViA and Bakken Bears. Tartu Ulikool Maks&Moorits will host Dziki Warszawa.
Tartu Ulikool vs Dziki Warszawa
Series history: Tartu Ulikool (1-3) will face Dziki Warszawa (3-2) for the first time.
Tartu Ulikool are 0-2 on the home floor after losses to Opava, 80-86, and Valmiera, 83-101.
Dziki Warszawa are 1-1 on the road – they lost at CSO Voluntari, 83-103, and won at Opava, 83-68.
Key matchup: Omar el-Sheikh averages 13.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots for Dziki Warszawa.
Arkansas State star shoots 66.7 percent from the two point line and 60.0 percent from the three point line, as well as 65.0 percent from the free throw line.
Nick McGlynn averages 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks for Dziki Warszawa.
Big man shoots 64.4 percent from the two point line and 57.1 percent from the three point line, as well as 64.3 percent from the charity stripe.
National championships: Tartu Ulikool are 8-4 at the Optibet Estonia and Latvia league.
Tartu lost a rollercoaster game against Ogre, 66-68, on December 6, thus ending a six game winning streak.
Dziki Warszawa are 5-4 at the PLK.
Dziki lost to King Szczecin, 70-86, on December 7.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Rain Peerandi (Estonia) – one of the top referees from Estonia. Referee from 2002, Korvpalli Meistriliiga referee from 2006, FIBA referee from 2014, Euroleague referee from 2016.
Umpire 1: Michal Kuzia (Poland) – PLK referee from 2017, FIBA referee from 2023; has worked at the Alpe Adria Cup (AAC) from 2018.
Umpire 2: Ivo Kitsing (Estonia) – Optibet Estonia and Latvia league referee, first Korvpalli Meistriliiga final on May 24, 2018; FIBA referee from 2023.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on Facebook Live
Valmiera Glass ViA vs Newcastle Eagles
Playoff implications: Newcastle Eagles will qualify with a win.
Series history: Valmiera Glass ViA (4-1) will face Newcastle Eagles (5-0) for the second time.
Newcastle Eagles lead the series, 1-0, after a 90-74 road win at Valmiera a year ago.
Valmiera are 2-1 on the home floor.
The Latvians defeated Spišski Rytieri, 93-69, and Donar Groningen, 81-79, and then suffered a 96-97 overtime loss at the hands of Opava, 96-97.
Newcastle Eagles are on a six games winning streak.
Newcastle Eagles are 2-0 on the road in the ENBL after successes at Spišski Rytieri, 91-84, and Dziki Warszawa, 79-70.
Key matchup: Kahliel Spear averages 16.2 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals for Valmiera.
Robert Morris University star shoots 62.3% from the two point line and 16.7% from the three point line.
De`Sean Allen-Eikens averages 11.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 0.8 steals for Newcastle.
California State University at Northridge graduate shoots 54.3% from the two point line and 30.0% from the three point line.
National championships: Valmiera Glass ViA are 10-4 at the Optibet Estonia and Latvia league.
Nikolajs Mazurs team trail only to Latvian finalists VEF Rīga (13-1) and Rīgas Zeļļi (11-3).
Valmiera Glass ViA are on a two game winning streak after they erased 20 points deficit and defeated Kalev/Cramo for the first time, 79-76, on December 7.
Jordan Watson recently left the team.
Newcastle Eagles are 4-1 at the SuperLeague Basketball regular season.
Tyneside boys won the first SLB Trophy semifinals game against Leicester Riders, 95-91, on December 6.
The second game is scheduled on December 22.
Bristol Flyers already qualified for the SLB Trophy final.
Marc Steutel was named the SuperLeague basketball Coach of the Month for November 2024.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Elvis Binders-Čoders (Latvia) – FIBA referee from 2021, Optibet Estonia and Latvia league referee; regular appointments at the FIBA Europe Cup and EuroLeague Women.
Umpire 1: Stephen Ferriss (United Kingdom) – British Basketball league referee from 2004, FIBA referee from 2019, BBL playoffs and finals referee in 2022 and 2023.
Umpire 2: Juris Brūveris (Latvia) – one of the most experienced referees in Latvia; LBL referee for more than 10 years, including Optibet Estonia and Latvia league; has worked at the 2021 EWBL final.
Observer (on the spot): Mareks Voļskis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
Bakken Bears vs Inter Bratislava
Playoff implications: Inter Bratislava will qualify with a win.
Series history: Bakken Bears (3-1) will face Inter Bratislava (5-0) for the first time in the ENBL.
Bakken Bears are 2-0 on the home floor thanks to successes against Bristol Flyers, 83-72, and Dinamo Bucharest, 83-65.
Inter Bratislava are 2-0 on the road after wins at Basket Brno, 103-101, and Bristol Flyers, 84-80.
Key matchup: Skyler Bowlin averages 9.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.0 steals for Bakken Bears.
Missouri Southern State University guard shoots 37.0% from the three point line and 60.0% from the free throw line.
Dontay Caruthers averages 18.0 points, 7.2 assists and 1.8 steals for Inter Bratislava.
The University of Buffalo guard shoots 33.3% from the three point line and 65.4% from the charity stripe.
National championships: Bakken Bears are 7-3 at the Basketligaen.
Bakken Bears lost at Svendborg, 80-91, on November 28, after the national team break.
Inter Bratislava are 10-5 at the Slovak Extraliga.
Inter Bratislava are on a two game losing streak after a 76-81 loss against Levice on December 4, and a 83-96 loss at Banik Handlova on December 7.
Know your referees
Crew chief: Skirmantas Letukas (Denmark) – FIBA referee from 2021, Denmark top division from 2017.
Umpire 1: Eduard Uhrin (Slovakia) – FIBA referee from 2021, Slovak Extraliga referee from 2018.
Umpire 2: Christian Hansen (Denmark) – FIBA referee from 2021, Denmark highest leagues from 2015.
Observer (at the video): Oskars Lucis (Latvia).
ENBL access: follow the game on YouTube
STANDINGS, as of December 9, 2024
Group A
Newcastle Eagles 5-0, +38
CSO Voluntari 4-1, +67
Valmiera Glass ViA 4-1, +59
Dziki Warszawa 3-2, +34
BK Opava 3-2, -14
Tartu Ulikool 1-3, -18
Donar Groningen 1-4, -9
Spišski Rytieri 1-5, -103
Spartak Pleven 0-4, -54
Group B
Inter Bratislava 5-0, +19
Legia Warszawa 4-1, +43
Bakken Bears 3-1, +54
Bamberg Baskets 3-1, +46
Basket Brno 1-2, -4
Dinamo Bucharest 1-3, -20
Keila Coolbet 1-3, -44
Bristol Flyers 1-4, -28
Fyllingen Lions 0-4, -66
Comments